2007 FocusVision Focus Group Index
FocusVision Worldwide of Stamford Connecticut has released its 2007 annual “Focus Group Index”, the only industry estimate of the number of focus groups and other qualitative market research interviews conducted throughout the world.
Worldwide, the use of focus group research continues to increase in conjunction with increases in overall market research spending therefore, once again proving to be a stable and mature research methodology.
Units increased worldwide 3.5% for the second year in a row to 537,000 total groups conducted, with non-USA growth out-pacing USA growth for the first time in four years.
USA growth numbers slowed to 2.9% (increasing to 255,000 groups) compared to
reported total research spending growth rate of 6%. This is attributed to moderate shifts to
other qualitative methodologies such as online bulletin boards and ethnography
studies USA growth also suffered slightly from the slowest increase in advertising spending in years as well as flat to
declining qualitative market research spending from the pharmaceutical and
financial sectors.
US focus group facilities reported declining average
billable amounts for focus facility services due to aggressive price
competition and direct involvement from end client procurement
departments. Other trends reported include small shifts from traditional 8-10 respondent groups to more intimate
dyad and triad formats. Qualitative/quantitative hybrid projects are also increasing. These projects involve response meters and survey components as well as
sensory and product studies encompassing very high number of respondents over multiple days.
Non-USA growth activity continues to be strong at 4.1% in
line with a reported 4% overall increase in 2007 research spending. There has been continuing high growth numbers
reported from facilities in the Latin America
and Asia-Pacific regions. Another trendrepresents face-to-face interviewing migrating from in-home to focus facility
venue in developing countries.
For the first time, The Focus Group Index has added direct performance
reporting from focus facility managers and owners throughout the world to the
multitude of components used to determine the overall use of focus groups and
other face-to-face qualitative interviews.
This has allowed The Index to gain greater confidence and deeper insight
into the trends in this important research methodology. Additional determining factors include
advertising, marketing and market research spending estimates, and shifts in
research methodologies.
|
Total
Groups (000)
|
|
|
|
Year
|
Worldwide
|
USA
|
Non-USA
|
|
2007
|
537
|
255
|
282
|
|
2006
|
519
|
248
|
271
|
|
2005
|
501
|
239
|
262
|
|
2004
|
490
|
233
|
257
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
Change Groups
|
|
|
|
Year
|
Worldwide
|
USA
|
Non-USA
|
|
2007
|
3.5%
|
2.9%
|
4.1%
|
|
2006
|
3.5%
|
3.7%
|
3.4%
|
|
2005
|
2.2%
|
2.5%
|
1.9%
|
|
2004
|
3.2%
|
3.6%
|
2.8%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Spend ($ thousand)
|
|
|
Year
|
Worldwide
|
USA
|
Non-USA
|
|
2007
|
$2,653
|
$1,349
|
$1,303
|
|
2006
|
$2,526
|
$1,273
|
$1,253
|
|
2005
|
$2,438
|
$1,227
|
$1,211
|
|
2004
|
$2,383
|
$1,196
|
$1,187
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
Change USA
Ad Spending
|
|
|
2007
|
0.2%
|
|
|
|
2006
|
4.2%
|
|
|
|
2005
|
2.8%
|
|
|
|
2004
|
7.6%
|
|
|
The Focus Group Index was complied and reported by Peter
Houlahan, President, FocusVision Worldwide.
For more information, Mr. Houlahan can be reached at phoulahan@focusvision.com
|
